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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22377196">King for a Day</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inkribbon796/pseuds/Inkribbon796'>Inkribbon796</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Masks and Maladies [48]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Markiplier fandom - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Birthday Post, Gen, King tries to be a good friend, Lack of Communication, M/M, Pre-Slash, superhero au</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 21:50:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,538</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22377196</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inkribbon796/pseuds/Inkribbon796</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>King just wants a peaceful morning in the his park, unfortunately he’s not going to get that.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dr Iplier/The Host</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Masks and Maladies [48]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1538131</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>46</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>King for a Day</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Birthday post for King’s birthday.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
  <span>King had always liked the park on the south side of Egoton. It was a little too close to Dark’s territory for him to be comfortable, but that was why King had always visited the place as a child.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>It was King’s personal opinion that his parents had kept him inside way too much, but with his father’s paranoia he guess they couldn’t avoid it. Now he got to be outside as long and as often as he wanted. Leaving home had been the best thing that King had even done for himself, as scary as it was for him and in spite of all the nightmares of Dark finding him.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>King hadn’t even learned that he had an aura or powers until he left home. The Manor had never been conducive to owning pets, and even rats stayed away from the place. King, for his entire life thought that in a family of supernatural, superhuman individuals, that he was the only normal one in the lot. Something that the Host and the park had taught him: King was wrong. He could talk with animals, which in hindsight he should have seen it coming. But on the bright side: none of the League knew who he was. He had almost free reign of the city. Which was working wonders for him now, since he’d gotten into a fight with Anti and the glitch hadn’t even recognized his aura.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Although he probably had Host to thank for that. The blind seer had taken a pair of goggles and done something to them. So long as King wore them, not even Dark would be able to recognize his face, and Host admitted that the beard he was trying to grow was certainly helping too. His voice was another matter entirely.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>It was early, which these days meant another one of Dark’s network was going to try and take Dark’s territory back. Some days that meant a guy in a suit with shifty eyes, on other days it was someone in an over-sized hoodie with even shiftier eyes, harassing some of the people who had nowhere else to go and found King’s park as a safe haven.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Today was different, King had precious little time to prepare before one of his squirrels raced over in a frenzy. On the outside it probably looked like an intense stare-down, but it was more like a game of charades with body language.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>King barely had time to check his goggles were securely on his face before he heard a very familiar voice.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Oh, Hero!” Bim called out into the trees.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Some of the squirrels raced out before King could caution them not to run out. To King’s relief they weren’t shot on reflex. Peering through the brushes of a tree, he swore when he saw Illinois in his tweed suit at Bim’s side.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“The League isn’t welcome here,” King made his voice sound just deep enough that it would affect his usual speaking voice, but not so gruff that it would absolutely shred his throat in the process. “Leave before I call the cops.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>A couple crows touched down. “Cops,” one of the corvids repeated.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Bim scoffed, “Hey, buddy, I’m just taking a walk. Sides, don’t know if you’ve heard, but I don’t work for Dark.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>King wanted to just chuck a rock at Bim’s head, “I’d have to be blind and stupid not to know you’re connected to Warfstache.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Sides, he,” King motioned to Illinois, “has been spotted by a couple of my birds with Dark, so don’t try and lie to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Illinois looked at the gathering group of crows, there had to be twenty of them now.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Come on,” Bim took a brave step forward. “We just want to know if you’ve seen someone in the area. 5’10” and lanky, his name’s Kay, he’s a recluse. That kind of person.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Nope,” King lied. “Haven’t seen him.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Right, but I guess you won’t tell us anyways,” Bim took another step.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>The forest went on edge without King even directing them to do it, more crows touched down, squawking at both Bim and Illinois, several squirrels were hovering nearby. King tried not to look scared by them, and the goggles and Host’s magic was working. “You’re outnumbered, I suggest you run back to Dark, and tell him that I don’t have him.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>While Bim seemed either overly confident in his ability to defend himself, or didn’t get the hint that forty crows was thirty-nine too many. Personally King was putting his bets on a mix of the two, Bim had the tendency to be about as daft as their dad did and as laser-focused as Dark. “Sides,” King huffed. “It’s one park, you have others.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“This was our territory first,” Bim spat back, insulted. “This place is mine.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>In King’s mind he could still remember his childhood, the times they’d all come to the park and just pretended to be normal kids. Dark pretended to be a normal parent. Bim and King had often fallen asleep under the shadows of the trees. It had been nice, but Dark had stopped once they were starting to get old enough. Then a couple situations with Yancy got Dark to split them all up to raise them in </span>
  <em>
    <span>“a more controlled environment”</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Not anymore,” King dared. “I’ve turned this place from a defacto drug den, to an actual park. Imagine that, a place where kids can actually have fun without their parents being afraid for them.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“It </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>a safe place,” Bim growled, flashing his slightly sharp teeth.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“For Dark and his thugs,” King spat back, wanting to just rip his goggles off and list all the things Dark had done to the city, the things that all of them had helped him do to people. “But I’m sure you’re too blinded by his power and his money to think of that.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“You bastard,” Bim half-lunged at King, and King tried and failed not to flinch.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Illinois was faster than the forest, arm baring Bim and holding him back. “No, no, the Old Man told us not to get into a fight with them.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“He can’t just stand there with that smug face and insult me,” Bim fought against Illinois’s hold.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Illinois glared at King, “We’ll be back, and if we don’t find who we’re looking for, we’ll find you again, and we won’t leave you with just threats.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>King hastily sent one of his crows off, “Looking forward to it.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>He really wasn’t, but that’s what the other heroes like Jackie or Silver would say . . . right?</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Illinois grabbed Bim by the back of his suit coat and hit something on a pager attached to his belt. A second later a tear opened up in the world behind them as a shrill ringing pierced the area. King’s animals scattered.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Let’s go,” Illinois ordered.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Bim glared at him, but let the adventurer pulled him through the portal, making sure to glare at King the whole time. As they were leaving, all King could do was stare at the portal. Feeling its siren’s call to follow them through. He felt the void that surrounded the Manor trying to welcome him back home and his skin itched for it. He gripped his arm and bit his lip to stop himself, and only stopped holding his breath when it winked closed.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Racing into the closest brush, King threw up, his whole body shaking. He had to double check no one was around him so he could take his goggles off and wipe his eyes. Still nervous about someone coming across him, King climbed a pine tree with dense foliage for him to safely hide in.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Then he pulled out his phone, calling a number he’d never called before. It had been logged into his phone thanks to Iplier, but there’s been no need to call it.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>It took a bit for him to hear the other person answer. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“The Host is surprised to receive King’s call.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Hope I didn’t cause you too much trouble,” King began, knowing that even with his sight, it couldn’t have been easy for Host to reach the phone on his writing desk.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Host didn’t comment on that, only saying, “What troubles the King of the Squirrels?”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Okay,” King began half in a panic. “Bad news, I might have pissed Bim and Illy off, and they’ll be back. “What am I going to do? How do the others do this all the time.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>There was silence for a bit, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“King should listen closely.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Okay,” King took a steadying breath to calm himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>“The King of the Squirrels will not like what the Host has to say, mostly because the Host hates saying it too,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Host began. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Kay and his brother cannot avoid Dark forever. He will find them. But the Host sees King returning to his park.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“You do?” King felt like throwing up. He didn’t want to go back to Dark’s network.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <em>
    <span>“Yes,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> the Host answered. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“So King should do his best to enjoy his time, and make sure a hero is nearby when they are in his park. His crows should more than help with that.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Yeah, thanks,” King tried to collect himself, and the Host said a quick goodbye before disconnecting.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>King just sat down to collect his nerves. It took a while and a sandwich before he could act like he usually did, patrolling about his park. Making sure Dark didn’t send any more of his enforcers to the park. He came to the conclusion that he needed to think of some other way to protect the park.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>He got to talk to some people, rescue a girl’s balloon and genuinely enjoy being a part of the town. At night he went back to the base, hiding out in the Host’s library.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Host,” King began as he raced through the Host’s library with his phone’s flashlight. “It was awful!”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>The blind seer jumped. “The King of Squirrels should learn to announce himself first,” the Host barked at him.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Sorry, just thought you should know, I think your magic is wearing thin,” King warned.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Impossible,” the Host replied, through his muttered narrations. “King is merely failing to upkeep them.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“I did everything you said, and Bim and Illy are still getting in,” King groaned. “What am I supposed to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>The Host leaned back in his chair, muttering narrations under his breath. “Perhaps it is Trimmer’s unusual aura that is the problem?”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Come on,” King sat on a stool next to the Host’s desk, typically Dr. Iplier used it when changing the blind seer’s bandages. “How much different can he be?”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Trimmer is not merely a carbon copy of both Darkiplier and Warfstache, he is their child,” Host reminded. “As with any child, some things skip generations, others are dormant genes until environmental factors influence them enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>A distant knock sounded out and eventually Dr. Iplier walked over to the Host’s desk, making noise as he walked over. “Hey, Host, time to change your bandages.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Iplier was just looking at King with a hurt but guilty expression on his face. Which King couldn’t understand the reason for. He didn’t really have time to dissect it because King was very suddenly and unceremoniously shoved off the stool by Host’s aura.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Hey!” King laughed at him. “Subtle much?”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“King will be silent if he knows what’s good for him,” the Host glared at him, and then smiled at Iplier. “The good doctor is early.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“No, I’m late,” Iplier reprimanded sharply as he set his medical bag on Host’s table. Something that King knew was a rare privilege. Anyone who sat on, or set anything on the Host’s desk was liable get themselves or their stuff unceremoniously dumped on the floor. Even King faced the same treatment. “It’s almost like you want a horrible infection, or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>King stood up, smiling at the two as he just walked. This was one of the only times where he wished his dad was here so they could rib the Host for being so obvious.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“The Host was merely busy,” Host commented as Iplier began to work on draining and cleaning his eye sockets.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>It was a process that always made King squeamish, he could barely stand to watch it. It always took long in King opinion, but Iplier was anal retentive and thorough about the Host’s condition.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Busy trying to kill yourself,” Iplier scoffed, making King occasionally glance back to he could watch them banter. Eventually he caught sight of what Iplier had to do and turned away again.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“The Host denies the good doctor’s assertions,” Host chuckled. “He was doing nothing of the sort.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Well what were you guys doing in here? Filming the newest instalment of: Introverts Gone Wild?” Iplier joked, rolling on a fresh change of bandages. “Looks like you two are having a real party in here.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Ha ha,” King cut into the conversation. “I was just talking to the Host about how Dark’s top lieutenants keep taking walks through my park. I think he wants me to sweat bullets.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Not a matter of pressing urgency,” the Host said. “They will give up eventually.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Yeah over my dead body,” King reminded, glancing over his shoulder at them.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Well have it worked out soon,” Iplier warned. “Host needs to go to bed, I won’t have a repeat of last week where I left and you were up until five in the morning in a pool of your own blood.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“The Host got carried away,” the seer huffed defensively</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Yeah, well I’ll drag you to bed tonight if I have to,” Dr. Iplier warned, cleaning up the area around them. “I’m going to dump these, and you better be ready by the time I get back.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>King held his tongue until the doctor was gone.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“So what’s up with you and the Doc? Ethics will have his license if you keep making googly eyes at him.” King jabbed his thumb at the door to the seer’s library.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Nothing of the sort is happening between the Host and his doctor,” the Host defended a little too aggressively. “King should ignore the situation, as it does not involve him.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Kinda does if I’m going to have a brother-in-law,” King smiled. Then at the Host’s slight blush, King grinned wider. “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> like him.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Th King of the Squirrels will forget what he believes is happening,” the Host sputtered. “Iplier and the Host are not in a relationship, nor will they be.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Yeah, yeah,” King waved him off. “Sure, won’t tell a soul about your massive crush, whatever.”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“He better not,” the Host threatened.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“Won’t,” King promised, and then walked towards the door, taking out his phone to light the way. He passed Dr. Iplier and tried not to have a big smile as he took the service elevator back up.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Quickly accessing his phone, King made a note to add Host to his list of Valentine’s Day couples. He couldn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>tell </span>
  </em>
  <span>anyone, but if Iplier wound up with a batch of candied roses on his doorstep, signed by the Host himself, that shouldn’t be breaking the rules too much.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Might give Host a kick in the right direction.</span>
</p>
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